Obama keeps pressure on McCain
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
ELKO, Nev. -- Believing his sharpened economic message will resonate in Nevada, a battleground state hard-hit by the mortgage crisis, Barack Obama continued to hammer away at rival John McCain today at a rally in the Republican stronghold of Elko.
Obama seized on McCain's comment Tuesday that McCain would go after the "the old-boy network and Washington corruption" that McCain said was responsible for the Wall Street meltdown.
"This is somebody who's been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign," Obama said at an outdoor rally in Elko's Main City Park. "And now he tells us that he's the one who's going to take on the old boys' network."
Then the punchline: "The old boys' network? In the McCain campaign, that's called a staff meeting." (Big laughs.)
Obama also mocked McCain's outrage at Wall Street greed. "He is so angry that he wants to punish them with $200 billion worth of tax cuts," he said. "This whole pretense that somehow he's going to take on these folks when he hasn't taken them on for the last 26 years, because it's election time, just doesn't make much sense."
Nevada, which has had the highest home foreclosure rate in the country, is tight, according to current polls, which give McCain a slight advantage. But Elko County is rarely close: In 2000, President Bush beat Al Gore here 78 percent to 18 percent, and Bush beat John Kerry four years ago 78 percent to 20 percent. But Obama, on this third trip here, refused to cede the territory.
"Go out and talk to neighbors," he told supporters, urging them to tell people that he supports the Second Amendment and will lower taxes for everyone but the rich. "I want you to argue with them and get in their face."
"You are my ambassadors," he continued. "You guys are the ones who can make the case."
UPDATE: Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for McCain, responds: “Barack Obama will say anything to disguise his non-existent record of reforming government, including ignoring the fact that his campaign leadership sponsored the same bill that he blames for the current ‘mess on Wall Street’. Whether it’s taking record amounts of campaign cash from Lehman Brothers, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, Barack Obama and his do-nothing record of reform is what is broken in Washington.”
Take'em on, Obama, this is how you beat the republicans, stick it to their face and put them on defensive, we're sick and tired of old stupid republican rhetoric of "he'll raise your taxes, yes!" if the republicans love America as much as they claim why are they scared of taxes?.....after all it's going to be used to clean up Bush's mess and the cost of the useless war.
Mccain is the last person America needs now, "ask Carla Fiorina"
Elko has a bounty of folks who have common sense! It might be that no one there has voted for a black man before, but we don't care if you raise angus or herford if you are willing to work and talk straight.
Obama's respect for the people and his trust in the process is a real shot in the arm. That he asks for the best advise and respects veterans, older people, hard working men and women is a reason to be hopeful.
For all the talk, McCain has voted against veterans again and again. Obama has stood by them, and still does. How great Obama would come to the real heartland!
Elko, Nevada.
Elko has respect for people who have a way with words! Check out the Cowboy Poetry that has become world famous. We eat steak, so we recognize a good meat and potatoes speech like Obama gives, and we also recognize McCain's bull sh..!
1) This would be a great time to list all of McCain’s dumb statements about the economy - there are many, many dumb statements and videos.
2) Having Bill Clinton, who is surely a GENIUS compared to the COMBINED Economic IQ's of both Bush-McCain, make powerful statements – even be upstaged by Bill. Winning is much too important. Don’t waste this opportunity.
3) Hint at a powerful economic adviser positions for the Clintons.
4) Remind every senior citizen and baby-boomer, that McCain wants to have Social Security taken over completely by Wall Street – the ultimate Republican dream.
Please don't waste too much time demonstrating what you will do. We are already voting for you. You need to get the attention of so many of the ignorant voters out there who believe what McCain/Palin say because they heard it on television! Find a clever way to counter and educate the ignorant. Listen to what is being talked about in salons, cafes and school parking lots. Feelings are so strong on both sides, many folks are backing away from conversing about this election all together! Get those expensive ad agencies working around the clock to figure the best approach to get the word out because right now, the plan feels like it needs to be strengthened. .Your supporters are getting scared and we need you to come through for us.
This is the beginning of the advance. We all need to get on board on do our part. Now that McCain has conceded that the race is about change, now that we are really seeing what the last 8 years have done to our economy, we need to become aggressive about keeping him out of the white house. The Obama campaign has been focused on the issues all along. Force people to talk about the issues, and about the plans candidates actually have for our country. McCain will lose.
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